(KJV) Psalm 391

<< Psalm 38 Psalm 40 >>

⥃I Will Watch My Ways

To the chief Musician, [even] to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.

[1] I said2, I will take heed to my ways, that I3 sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth4 with a bridle, while5 the wicked is before me. [2] I was6 dumb with silence, I held my peace, [even7] from good; and my sorrow8 was stirred9. [3] My heart was hot within me, while I was musing the fire burned: [then] spake I with my tongue,10 [4] Lord, make11 me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it [is]; [that] I may know how frail I [am12]. [5] Behold13, thou hast made my days [as] an handbreadth; and mine age [is] as nothing14 before thee: verily15 every man at his best state16 [is] altogether vanity. Selah. [6] Surely every man walketh in a vain shew17: surely18 they are disquieted in vain: he heapeth19 up [riches], and knoweth not who shall gather them. [7] And now, Lord, what wait20 I for? my hope21 [is] in thee. [8] Deliver22 me from all my transgressions: make23 me not the reproach of the foolish. [9] I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because thou didst [it].24 [10] Remove25 thy stroke away from me: I am consumed26 by the blow27 of thine hand. [11] When28 thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty29 to consume away like a moth: surely30 every man [is] vanity. Selah. [12] Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold31 not thy peace at my tears: for I [am32] a stranger with thee, [and] a sojourner, as all33 my fathers [were]. [13] O spare34 me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no35 more.

<< Psalm 38 Psalm 40 >>

  1. Ps 39:1, David’s care of this thoughts; Ps 39:4, The consideration of the brevity and vanity of life; Ps 39:7, the reverence of God’s judgments, Ps 39:10, and prayer, are his bridles of impatience. Jeduthun, probably the same as Ethan, 1Chr 6:44, was one of the sons of Merari, and is supposed to have been one the four masters of music, or leaders of bands, belonging to the temple service. It is therefore probable that David, having composed this Psalm, gave it to Jeduthun and his company to sing; and it is very likely, that it was written on the same occasion as the preceding. Ps 62:1, Ps 77:1 *titles 1Chr 16:41, 1Chr 25:1-6 ↩

  2. Ps 119:9; 1Kgs 2:4; 2Kgs 10:31; Prov 4:26-27; Heb 2:1 ↩

  3. Ps 12:4, Ps 73:8-9, Ps 141:3; Prov 18:21, Prov 21:23 ↩

  4. etc. Heb. a bridle, or muzzle, for my mouth, Jas 1:26, Jas 3:2-8 ↩

  5. Amos 5:13; Mic 7:5-6; Col 4:5 ↩

  6. Ps 38:13-14; Isa 53:7; Matt 27:12-14 ↩

  7. Matt 7:6 ↩

  8. Job 32:19-20; Acts 4:20 ↩

  9. Heb. troubled ↩

  10. Jer 20:9; Ezek 3:14; Luke 24:32 ↩

  11. Ps 90:12, Ps 119:84; Job 14:13 ↩

  12. or, what time I have here ↩

  13. Ps 90:4-5, Ps 90:9-10; Gen 47:9; Job 7:6, Job 9:25-26, Job 14:1-2; Jas 4:14 ↩

  14. Ps 89:47; 2Pet 3:8 ↩

  15. Ps 39:11, Ps 62:9, Ps 144:4; Eccl 1:2, Eccl 2:11; Isa 40:17 ↩

  16. Heb. settled ↩

  17. Heb. an image, There is but the semblance of being. He appeareth for a little, and then vanisheth. 1Cor 7:31; Jas 4:14 ↩

  18. Eccl 1:14, Eccl 2:17-18, Eccl 2:20-21, Eccl 4:7-8, Eccl 6:11-12, Eccl 12:8, Eccl 12:13; Isa 55:2; Luke 10:40-42, Luke 12:20-21, Luke 12:29; 1Pet 5:7 ↩

  19. Ps 49:10-11; Job 27:16-17; Prov 13:22, Prov 23:5, Prov 27:24; Eccl 2:8, Eccl 2:18-21, Eccl 2:26; Eccl 5:14; Luke 12:20-21; Jas 5:3 ↩

  20. Ps 130:5-6; Gen 49:18; Luke 2:25 ↩

  21. Ps 38:15, Ps 119:81, Ps 119:166; Job 13:15; Rom 15:13 ↩

  22. Ps 25:11, Ps 25:18, Ps 51:7-10, Ps 51:14, Ps 65:3, Ps 130:8; Mic 7:19; Matt 1:21; Titus 2:14 ↩

  23. Ps 35:21, Ps 44:13, Ps 57:3, Ps 79:4, Ps 119:39; 2Sam 16:7-8; Joel 2:17, Joel 2:19; Rom 2:23-24 ↩

  24. Ps 38:13; Lev 10:3; 1Sam 3:18; 2Sam 16:10; Job 1:21, Job 2:10, Job 40:4-5; Dan 4:35 ↩

  25. Ps 25:16-17; 1Sam 6:5; Job 9:34, Job 13:21 ↩

  26. Ps 38:3-4 ↩

  27. Heb. conflict, Job 40:8 ↩

  28. Ps 38:1-8, Ps 90:7-10; 1Cor 5:5, 1Cor 11:30-32; Heb 12:6; Rev 3:19 ↩

  29. etc. Heb. that which is to be desired in him to melt away, Ps 102:10-11; Job 4:19, Job 13:28, Job 30:30; Isa 50:9; Hos 5:12 ↩

  30. Ps 39:5 ↩

  31. Ps 56:8, Ps 116:3; 2Sam 16:12 *marg. 2Kgs 20:5; Job 16:20; Heb 5:7 ↩

  32. Ps 119:19, Ps 119:54; Lev 25:23; 1Chr 29:15; 2Cor 5:6; Heb 11:13; 1Pet 1:17, 1Pet 2:11 ↩

  33. Gen 47:9 ↩

  34. Job 10:20-21, Job 14:5-6 ↩

  35. Gen 5:24, Gen 42:36; Job 14:10-12 ↩